The courting rituals of a lab rat
by Serenechemnerd
Summary: Wedges fluff. The response Wendy should have given Hodges.


Disclaimer: Chacters are not mine, but the sassy response is.

Wendy stared at the computer translation in disbelieve.

"We were made for one another." Was the translation Hodges had said. She looked up from the computer across the labs labyrinth of glass doors to trace, where Hodges was explaining his findings to someone. She clinched her jaw and waited until the other lab rat left. Then stormed into trace lab.

"Are you kidding me?"

"What?" He looked genuinely confused.

"We were made for one another?"

"Oh…" He had enough sense to look embarrassed. "Yeah, it was spur of the moment, and the costume, the whole atmosphere."

"Bullshit."

"Excuse me?" He leaned into her like he always did when he didn't understand what she was telling him.

"We've been flirting for years. You finally let me in a little and now you're going back on it."

"I can't concentrate on my work and the lab needs me."

"That is the lamest excuse I've ever heard! You're brilliant at your job but you need to figure out what will happen when this is all gone. You'll be what, 60 without having a meaningful relationship with anyone outside of your family?"

"I've had a few relationships."

"None that would impact your work."

"This is exactly why I can't get involved with you."

"Fine Hodges, do what you want. But don't think that I'm going to be waiting around for you any longer. This is your last chance and as sweet as what you told me is I'm done waiting on you." Wendy moved quietly from the lab.

Hodges stood in trace dumbfounded. He knew he liked Wendy's independent streak, he just didn't like it when it was directed at him. Later that night Mandy came over to their parent's house to ask Hodges what was up, seeing clearly that something had been bothering him lately.

"So what's up?" Mandy said sitting in the kitchen of their parents' house drinking a beer. Hodges just looked at her. "Don't give me that look. I'm your sister. You don't think I know when something is wrong?"

"It's Wendy."

"She finally gets sick of waiting as ask you out?" Hodges smiled bitterly.

"No. Well…maybe, sort of. She admitted that she was interested."

"And you said something stupid didn't you?"

"No. I said I had to concentrate on work."

"Yeah that's pretty stupid."

"Wha…?" He looked puzzled at Mandy.

"You're an idiot. You two have been dancing around the subject for years. You don't honestly think that someone else can't do your job do you? I mean sure we all have a place and we fit well in our work but seriously running the headspace and mass spec. isn't rocket science."

"Neither is IDing finger prints." He commented snarkly looking down.

"Don't I know it." Mandy stated taking another sip of beer. Hodges head snaps up at that comment.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that this isn't all I am, this isn't the only thing I'm good at and I'm not pushing people away afraid that someone else can do a better job than I do. There are people out there who can do what I do better than I can. You're letting your controlling, insecure side take its revenge on you and Wendy."

"Why are you telling me all of this?"

"Because I like Wendy and you're my brother. I'd like to see you happy with something besides a GC for once. Hell even Grissom let go enough to get involved with someone. You don't have to keep pushing everyone away."

Hodges nodded numbly. "I really messed up didn't I?"

"Well you thought you were doing it for the greater good of the lab, but sometimes in life we all need to be a little bit selfish." Hodges got up from the table and grabbed his car keys. "Where you goin?"

"Hopefully to fix my own stupidity."

After working together for years Hodges had been to Wendy's house several times with the others from CSI. He parked on this street and realized that it was a little late but the lights were still one, so he took a chance and knocked on the door. He heard her shuffle up to the door, then waited. He wondered if she just wouldn't answer the door. Wendy finally opened the door after what seemed to be an eternity. She doesn't even say "hi.", she just stands there in her pajamas looking a little angry still.

"Can I speak with you?" Hodges asks nervously.

"Sure. Come on it."

He notices her TV is on, she clicks it off quickly.

"So what can I do for you Hodges?"

"Well, um. I came here to talk to you." She leaned forward and just looked at him. He didn't really know how to start.

"So are you going to talk?" He continued to look at her. He opened his mouth a few times and tried to start but it just wasn't working. "Would you like some water?" She asked getting up. He followed her to the kitchen. She got out two glasses and filled them with water. She stood next to the sink and drank her water while he left his untouched.

"At least give me the topic of this conversation." She almost demanded.

"Us." He managed to get out.

"You've made it perfectly clear that there can be no 'us'. Not just two hours ago."

"I think I was wrong." He bluntly said. Wendy choked on her water a bit.

"Could you say that again?" He gritted his teeth getting the feeling she enjoyed that last sentence a little too much.

"I've been thinking that I've been holding you, and everyone, out for years. And I don't want to any more, I'm just not sure how to let you in." She stared at him for a while, then composed herself once again. She crossed her arms across her chest and looked at him.

"You have a little already. But it will take time." She finished almost wistfully. She didn't notice that he moved closer to her as she was lost in her own thoughts.

"I don't want it to take time." He said stepping into her personal space. "You know me better than anyone outside of my family. You balance me. You make me want to understand myself better so I don't hurt your feelings. I think the world of you. You're smart, and funny and sexy and I have no idea why you would ever be interested in me. But somehow you are. I meant what I said at the con, we _are_ made for one another." He slowly leaned against her and placed a very chaste kiss on her on unmoving mouth.

"Why wouldn't I be interested in you? You're smart." Hodges rolled his eyes, he'd heard that line before. "Don't do that, I wasn't finished. You're sexy too. Ever notice I cross my arms a lot in front of you?"

"Yeah." He looked quizzical.

"Ever wonder why?"

"I figured you were cold, or didn't actually like me. Usually people take it as a sign that the other person is upset or uneasy with the other person."

"I don't know if I want to hit you or hug you right now. _That's _why I cross my arms all the time. I can never tell which I want more to slug you or to fall into your arms. It's irrational and it's driving me insane!" She was beginning to rant and she knew it but he had just kissed her and the notion was getting to her head.

"So let me get this straight, we both like each other and the only thing standing in our way is me?"

"Basically."

"I'll stop standing in my own way then." He moved closer to her and moved a hand behind her neck and brought his lips to hers demanding more than a brush of lips this time.

Fin


End file.
